Main Street America vs. Vermont Mutual: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for car insurance, Vermont Mutual offers significantly more affordable rates than Main Street America
• Main Street America may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Vermont Mutual
• Vermont Mutual offers more affordable premiums for policyholders who are looking to purchase insurance with a spouse

Main Street America or Vermont Mutual: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you considering a new insurance policy? With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering large savings, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might be considering Main Street America or Vermont Mutual as potential options, but between the two, which one has less expensive prices for insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Main Street America has average rates that are around 24% a month more expensive than those from Vermont Mutual.

That being said, Vermont Mutual may not be the cheapest or best option for every single driver out there. After all, car insurance companies can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like where you call home, your driving record, your age, or even your credit score (among other things), so rates could differ drastically from person to person.

Wanting to know if Main Street America or Vermont Mutual is really the right carrier for you? Keep on reading to see how average premiums can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

Main Street America vs. Vermont Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Main Street America and Vermont Mutual only compete against each other in one states, with Vermont Mutual offering cheaper prices to the average driver in all of them. Vermont has the most noticable difference, where Vermont Mutual premiums are $13 less expensive than auto insurance rates at Main Street America.

But there's more to insurance than just your home state. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how car insurance carriers determine your premiums. Continue reading to learn more about how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- generally pay a lot for auto insurance compared to older drivers. The reason is that teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

But that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high insurance prices. As you can see above, teens who use Vermont Mutual save almost 30% per month compared to those who use Main Street America.

Even so, both companies will drop rates by the time drivers turn 25. Vermont Mutual offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than half what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Main Street America's average prices decrease nearly 55% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll typically enjoy the lowest auto insurance rates you'll ever see. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly premiums for car insurance.

But who has the best prices for retired drivers between Main Street America and Vermont Mutual? Vermont Mutual gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older almost 30% cheaper than the national average for Main Street America.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that insurance rates are usually more expensive for those who are single than they are for married couples? That's because policies for married drivers normally cover more than one vehicle, which a lot of carriers will give you a discount for.

For single drivers, the difference in average premiums between these two companies is significant, with Vermont Mutual rates coming in at a quarter less than Main Street America's. For married policyholders, the advantage is clear again - Vermont Mutual has the edge when it comes to average prices.

Main Street America or Vermont Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Men typically pay more for car insurance than women. This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get speeding tickets and get into accidents, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher premiums.

Surprisingly, with Main Street America, men generallypay about $6 a month less than women, and around $15 with Vermont Mutual.

Looking at overall affordability, Vermont Mutual offers the most affordable average prices for both men and women, with average rates $44 less for men and $64 cheaper for women.

Main Street America vs. Vermont Mutual: Compare State Minimum vs. Full Coverage Rates

*State minimum value indicates liability-only policies at each state's minimum bodily injury and property damage (BI/PD) limits

**Full coverage indicates state minimum BI/PD limits with collision and comprehensive coverages added to policy.

Auto insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. Everyone needs insurance, but there are so many different coverages and limits that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

The two most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- in addition to what you get with liability coverage).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, Vermont Mutual has the significant edge, with average monthly prices coming in at $85. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Vermont Mutual again has the edge, with policies averaging about $261 per month to Main Street America's $295.

Is Main Street America or Vermont Mutual Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their car insurance. But that's not to say you can't save money if you don't have the best driving record, either.

Collisions and speeding tickets will most likely raise your rates, but is Main Street America or Vermont Mutual more affordable for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Main Street America for their auto insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up around 26% after getting a speeding ticket. Vermont Mutual policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 6%.

However, Vermont Mutual has less expensive premiums for drivers in both categories. With Vermont Mutual, drivers with a clean record can save around $58 a month and drivers with a ticket can save about $112 per month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will raise prices pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with Main Street America climbing by around 19%. Vermont Mutual has a less extreme climb, but you can still expect to pay nearly 20% more than you were prior to your first accident.

At the end of the day, Vermont Mutual offers the cheapest rates for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average premiums coming in at $144 compared to Main Street America Insurance's $215.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge on your record, it's probably going to cost you more than a simple speeding ticket or even an accident. On average, Vermont Mutual will raise your prices about 62% after a DUI, while Main Street America's average premiums climb by just under 40%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable rates, Main Street America tends to be cheaper for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $283 to Vermont Mutual's $307.

How does Credit Score Impact Main Street America and Vermont Mutual Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can be used as one of the factors to calculate your monthly insurance prices. This isn't true for everyone (Michigan, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a car insurance factor) but it does affect quite a few drivers out there.

Auto insurance companies argue that those with poor credit scores are less likely to pay their bills on time each month, which raises the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with good credit.

Looking at Main Street America and Vermont Mutual specifically, which company has the lowest rates for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is Main Street America or Vermont Mutual Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

The amount of time you spend behind the wheel of your car plays a big role in your monthly premiums. Normally, those who drive fewer miles will end up with more affordable prices since there's less of a chance of causing a collision and filing an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Vermont Mutual charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Main Street America, with policyholders who drive the least paying about $4 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, for drivers in both categories, Vermont Mutual is the less expensive company.

Main Street America or Vermont Mutual: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you call home can play a pretty big role in how much you pay for car insurance. Generally, if you live in a rural area with fewer cars on the road, you'll pay a little less for auto insurance, while the opposite is true for people in urban areas.

Vermont Mutual boasts the lowest average premiums for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Vermont Mutual's average rates are around 25% less than Main Street America Insurance. People who live in suburban areas pay about 27% less with Vermont Mutual compared to Main Street America. Those in rural areas can expect to save around 19% with Vermont Mutual compared to Main Street America.

Main Street America vs. Vermont Mutual Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as you can, and the best way to do that is by utilizing as many car insurance discounts as possible.

But where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be challenging to find all the ones you can take advantage of.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by Main Street America and Vermont Mutual so that you can find the carrier that has the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

Overall, Main Street America comes out ahead with 18 discounts to Vermont Mutual's 14.

Both carriers offer many of the same discounts -- like anti-theft discounts, discounts for getting driver training, discounts for being a good student, and multi-policy discounts -- but Main Street America also offers discounts for defensive driver, DRL, EFT, and more.

On the other hand, Vermont Mutual has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like advance quote discounts, annual mileage discounts, and experienced operator discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Main Street America or Vermont Mutual Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average premiums for many of the variables insurance companies look at, and walked through the different discounts each company offers, too. But, when it comes down to it, which insurance carrier is the right one for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Vermont Mutual might be best for you if....

• Your credit is below-average.
• Your neighborhood is in the suburbs.
• You're of retirement age and want to take advantage of lower prices.

Main Street America might be best for you if...

• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.
• You're looking for discounts -- Main Street America has the most.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Main Street America and Vermont Mutual and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your car insurance.

But, at the end of the day, there's only one way to know for sure that you're getting the best possible deal on auto insurance -- comparing quotes from a handful of carriers, not just Main Street America and Vermont Mutual. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Main Street America vs. Vermont Mutual FAQs

Is Main Street America or Vermont Mutual cheaper?

Vermont Mutual is the more affordable of the two carriers when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $173 a month with Vermont Mutual and $227 for Main Street America. But that doesn't mean Vermont Mutual will be the cheapest company for each driver, since there are lots of different factors (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Main Street America or Vermont Mutual?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No single carrier is necessarily "better" for every policyholder -- it all boils down to your unique auto insurance profile. For example, Vermont Mutual is cheaper for drivers with excellent credit, while Main Street America offers less expensive prices for drivers with a recent DUI.

Why do Main Street America and Vermont Mutual offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies use lots of different variables when determining the rates they charge. Factors such as age, where you park your car, your driving record, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Main Street America and Vermont Mutual calculate premiums differently, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from many different carriers.

How do I know if Main Street America or Vermont Mutual is right for me?

The only way to find the auto insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from several companies and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top car insurance carriers for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Main Street America or Vermont Mutual at all, but another you hadn't even thought of!

Methodology

All of the data referenced in this article has been gathered in collaboration with Quadrant Information Services. We analyzed more than 2.5 million rows of carrier-reported data to calculate the average rates referenced above. All rates are based on an insurance profile of a single-vehicle policy for a driver that owns a 2016 Honda Accord. For more information on how we calculate rates, please reference our data methodology.